Already!???

>> Thursday, December 30, 2010

Seriously, its almost new year's eve already!?? Are you kidding? Were we not just drinking sweet mint tea out in the garden?

I'm not too big into ny resolutions and that's because resolutions is something I do everyday... Yes a bit nutty of me. So what I do before clock strikes midnight is to reflect on the year past. What was good, what was not so pleasant, what should be done better next year?



Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Merry Christmas!

>> Friday, December 24, 2010

They look kinda sad, but they were fun to make! :)

Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Playa, sol y palmera...

>> Wednesday, December 22, 2010

...me tiene prisionera! (Oldie but goodie from Thalia)

Anyway.

I always dreamed of living in a place where I would see palm trees year round! I should have been more detailed with my request...
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Let's GO!

>> Sunday, December 19, 2010

I want this book! I'm obsessed with islands! The more remote and uninhibitent the better!
Atlas of Remote Islands: Fifty Islands I Have Never Set Foot on and Never Will.

Islands I've been on so far:
Staten Island ;)
Fire Island
Key West
Puerto Rico
Sardegna
Elba
Patmos
Leros
Lipsi
Arki
Kalymnos
Kos
San Blas Islands
Madeira
Vlieland
Ameland

Read more...

>> Saturday, December 11, 2010


Yey! Christmas tree!!!
Note to self: Concentrate on looking at pretty sparkly things, not youtube videos of natural childbirth...
Posted by Picasa

Read more...

Snow!

>> Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Santa? Does this mean you're on your way over?
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Hello cowboys!

>> Monday, November 29, 2010

We have not done any musical interludes lately. Of course you can trust the Sunny Orangery to come up with something...well Sunny!

If you're not a fan of country music, then you're lying to yourself. How could you not be!? Cute guys with cowboy hats singing about how their hearts belong to you? Hello? I'll take one! And another point: have you seen ONE cowboy that didn't have a nice butt!?? Something about riding horses all day and other manual labor tasks makes cowboy butts oh so smackable!

Now I know what you're thinking, I'm a married woman, how inapropriate of me to drool in such a juvenile maner. It's ok I tell ya, my hubby is a footballer so he also has them nice thighs and butt.

Anyway, here are some singing Brazilian cowboys! Sing to me boys!


Read more...

Huhh..?

>> Friday, November 5, 2010

At the house we still get mail of the previous owners. I'm just glad I'm not in whatever industry he was...
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

One fall day...

>> Wednesday, November 3, 2010

A scene from small town Netherlands.
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

New travel buddy!

>> Thursday, October 21, 2010

Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

The good life!

>> Monday, October 18, 2010

At an undisclosed island location somewhere in the Atlantic...
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Memories of youth.

>> Tuesday, October 12, 2010


Ensalada Russa
  • carrots
  • peas
  • pickles
  • potatoes

Cook and peel the vegetables.

Cut them into perfect little squares.

Mix with mayonase, and add freshly ground black pepper. Ok, so 1 down. It's ok, I like to leave myself something to aspire to. ;)

Posted by Picasa

Read more...

October sun-part 2

>> Sunday, October 10, 2010

Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

October sun.

Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Everyday rubies.

Gorgeous! Looks like a gem, but tastes better!
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

I'm a genius!

>> Thursday, October 7, 2010

Am I like the only person in the world that does this??
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Don't hate me because I hate chocolate!

>> Monday, October 4, 2010

I'm the girl that hates chocolate. Well I can have a square of extra dark chocolate on a rare occasion, and I'll even indulge in a real hot chocolate maybe twice per year, but as for chocolate cakes, or random candy, I will always pass. Being pregnant did not all of the sudden make me chocolate crazy, but I do notice heightened desire for something sweet. I've been popping these babies like Alice those "eat me" cookies.
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Ambition defined.

I know, there are only three things on the list but considering the fact that they've remained on my list for weeks this is an ambitious undertaking!
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Local farms in the sunshine.

Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Everyone needs a bit of Shakira in their life!

>> Saturday, October 2, 2010

I'm a huge fan of Shakira. I've been a fan of hers since she had dark hair and thighs!

I just love this video, and not because I think girls should run around Barcelona in their bikini tops, but because of how it shows that a bit of a friendly wink and a spontaneous dance in the street can bring on the smiles and remind us to celebrate everyday. I think we should all strive to be little sunshines to those around us. Try to be friendly instead of prejudiced, try to give someone a smile instead of giving them a dirty look.



Go Shaki!!!

Read more...

Gorgeous fall day!

>> Friday, October 1, 2010

Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

CUTE!

>> Thursday, September 30, 2010


I love Zara home, and I have a number of little accents for our home from there. I was surprized to see the new baby collection! Well maybe it's not new, but I just never paid attention before... :) Of course now I've discovered a whole new ball game of shopping!!!

I don't like things that are ''obvious", so zara stuff is just perfect, having cute baby accents yet still stylish and sophisticated.

Love!!!

Read more...

Last rose of the season?

>> Sunday, September 26, 2010

Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Pretty!

>> Monday, July 26, 2010

These bad boys are growing in my backyard. They're looking especially self satisfied after the rain.
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Emptyness...t?

>> Saturday, July 24, 2010


An office building that has been finished a few months ago.  It's empty except for maybe one or two offices.  See, this would never fly in a country where people are motivated to make money.

Read more...

Season has been opened!

>> Monday, May 31, 2010

Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Somewhere...

>> Friday, May 14, 2010

Of the coast of Marken.
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

At last...!

>> Friday, May 7, 2010

After long search I have found the most beautiful sporty shoes ever! Cotton candy blue.
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Spring

This was the view from staten island window this april. Beautiful. I just can't believe such innocent blossoms can cause my dad so much allergies... Oops :)
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

buffalo soldier

>> Tuesday, April 6, 2010

This guy and his friends can be found in the dunes just roaming around. They're so pretty. Especially little (big) buffalo babies. They want to play so they kinda charge you and it gets scary, but they're just playful that's all. I think. :)
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Be stupid?

>> Saturday, April 3, 2010

I love these new ads from Diesel.
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

a girl with a plan

>> Thursday, March 25, 2010

It's amazing what the simplest of actions can trigger! When visiting NY I came across my 10 year old notebook. Leafing through it I realize that a lot of my back then dreams and plans were indeed accomplished. That feels really good. Some however are still lingering to this day! I decided to do something about it.

So I bought a brand new notebook and I'm going to bring to fruition some more of the projects. And perhaps doodle me some new ones, maybe for the next ten years. Do you have a secret little notebook for plans and schemes?
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Wildlife in the city

>> Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Just look at him! I'm going to friend him on facebook, he is so epic!
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Urban landscape?

>> Tuesday, March 16, 2010

This scene was also found near my work in amsterdam. Is that spring sunshine getting stronger or what? I'm ready to remove my eskimo coat!
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Urban landscape

>> Thursday, March 11, 2010

Went for a walk with a colleague during lunch. Loving this spring sunshine and the yellow doors reflecting in the water!
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

sunshine

>> Tuesday, March 9, 2010

It's been really sunny all weekend, and now on Monday looking out the window at the office. But don't let those cuddly sun rays fool you, it is freezing!!!
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Starbucks in the wilderness

>> Saturday, March 6, 2010

Are you kidding me!? There is a line of about 20 people at the starbucks at the central station!!! Well maybe its because its the one and only starbucks in the netherlands. The ones at the airport don't count.
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

summer is magic

>> Sunday, February 28, 2010

(my brother with mom)


I think I've just about convinced my parents to let my 10 year old brother come spend his summer vacation with Vito and I! I'm so excited! Well, I'm excited but at the same time I've also started panicking when after days of searching I'm still scrambling to find day time activities for him. I basically will have to provide my Dad a play-by-play of every single day in order for Danilo to be able to stay here for an extended time.

Do you know any 10 year olds? Especially 10 year old boys?? They need to be engaged (read: entertained) every single moment. They're something out of this world! Literally they have a lot more in common with the aliens they spend days chasing and blowing up on their playstations then with regular earth walking people... They even TALK differently, but that's probably something we can discuss in a whole post on it's own.

So basically I'm now researching all kinds of day camp options and it seems to be difficult since Dutch kids only have 6 week vacations, 3 weeks of which their parents usually go on trips with them, and the remaining 3 weeks are spent playing with neighborhood kids, going to the pool with grandma and other close to home activities. I used to go to sleep away camp for TWO entire months and still have a couple of weeks left over. But in the words of my longest standing personal hero Phileas Fogg "There is no problem that doesn't have a solution".

Read more...

manhattan memoirs

>> Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Once upon a time for a year I lived in a place called Manhattan. It was a strange, strange land full of funny, mystical creatures...

They went about their days buzzing with an air of importance by day and with an air of complete wild abandon by night.

Now here I go, about to fall of another proverbial cliff of a triad. All I really wanted to do was show you something typically manhattan, and that is a lox bagel!
There is something magical about bagels in NYC, some say its the water. A bagel baker I knew used to freeze and sand on a plane a weekly package to a cafe owner in Tokyo. Imagine that, little bagels baked in Brooklyn all the way in Tokyo.

This was my breakfast of choice along with some cart coffee. Well, it was when I wasn't running late for work, on some kind of a starvation diet, in love, or just having a freak-out about nothing in particular just life in general. So basically, such breakfast was a rare and wonderful treat. Yum, got to have it again last week.
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

>> Monday, February 22, 2010

So jet lagged!!!

Read more...

new york, city of dreams?

>> Tuesday, February 16, 2010

I'm now in New York at my parents' house. It's funny how I don't say "I'm home" anymore because home now really is my Little Town, Netherlands. It's pretty refreshing. Mostly for my parents I think. I mean they really had a bit of a scare when I bomeranged back to this house after living in Manhattan on my own for a year.

I moved back in and 'crashed' on the couch in the living room temporarily (for two years) so that they lost all hope of EVER getting me out. Hehehe, when Vito came and whisked me away I was convinced my parents were secretly paying him... They weren't. At least Vito did not store it in any visible bank account.

Now being in NY is reminding me of the things I want to accomplish still, like start a business, write a book... Having BIG ambitious goals is always something that makes me feel warm and cozy inside. I'm like that. I can't sit still.

But to make myself feel better I do like to recount the BIG ambitious goals I have accomplished so far:

learn Italian
visit Patagonia
find a job that sends me places on a jet plane
get married

Yep, I like this excersize! Makes me feel all self satisfied. Makes me also hope that I can start tackling other goals on my list.

Read more...

a blast from the past

>> Sunday, February 7, 2010

I can't believe I'm doing this. Before I even met Vito and before I moved to the Netherlands, I had another blog... I made it private before moving here because it had a lot of silly things in it like me dreaming up what kind of cupcakes I want at my wedding and I did not think Vito would be quiet amused to read about such things after DATE 3! Now however, I think it can be amusing since we are married and DID have cupcakes at the wedding. Now I just hope there is nothing super scandalous in that blog of mine...

Oh yeah, Vito was called Nico.

And the blog was: Sempre Primavera

Read more...

>> Monday, February 1, 2010

I'm just amazed at the quality of night time photos taken by my blackberry! Love it!
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

happy friday!!!

>> Friday, January 22, 2010

Last year was my first EVER time in London. (See our self satisfied punams and the London eye in the photo.) What did I think of London? I absolutely loved it!!! I did not have any huge expectations, in fact I've never quite heard any good reviews of London from friends that have been. Here are some things I've heard as opposed to what I discovered:

1. People are rude - FALSE! People are lovely, funny, friendly and polite.
2. Girls are ugly - FALSE! They're very cute and stylish, and the wear the highest heels I've ever seen any group of girls wear. Much higher heels then in Manhattan too.
3. Guys are ugly - FALSE! I've seen tons of good looking guys in London. TRUST me.
4. English food is terrible - FALSE! English food is yummy first of all, secondly there is just about ANY kind of cuisine to be had in London.
5. Everyone gets totally smashed when they go out - True. Now that's the only one I do agree with. On Fridays abour 2pm everyone seems to be at the Pub and already in a drunken state.
6. Everything is super expensive - FALSE false and false!!! There are tons of shops for all kinds of pockets and most of the high street shops like your Zaras and such are actually cheaper in London. Then again, I'm also comparing it to Amsterdam where everything is crazy expensive.
London reminded me of Manhattan the way Manhattan wishes to be. London was bigger, cleaner, and more interesting.
I was impressed, and so I'm really pleased to be going there for a week. I'm there for some work meetings but hopefully I'll have a chance to do just a bit of running around for my own purposes!

Read more...

East vs West

>> Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Why are Asians so slim? My friend M, who came to visit for New Years brought me some yummy Asian food treats that she knows I love. M is originally from Taiwan, so there were always interesting snacks to try when we hung out at her house "studying" in high school. And yes M is super thin.

As I ripped into a bag of gummy "muscat grape" candy already imagining poping a handful into my mouth I was met with an obstacle! Each candy was wrapped individually! Very suggestively indicating that I should eat only one... What!? Ofcourse I ate more then one obviously, and as I cleared away a small mountain of wrappers I thought. Are asian people thin because they exercise portion control?? I pulled out a similar package of gummy candy bought in Europe. Sure enough candies were not individually wrapped speaking to your inner psyche to eat the ENTIRE bag!

Maybe there is a lesson to be learned from our brothers in the East.

My friend M however, is a bad example; she eats like a black hole! Like there is no tomorrow. As if she was about to be dropped of on a deserted island. As if she was pregnant with a fully grown football team!!
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

Does doing taxes stress you out too?

>> Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Well actually Vito did our taxes. But he made me pay attention when he explained what he was doing. AND he made me go and fetch some related documents he needed from my side. That was already stressful enough. I made myself a little pick me up to de-compress...
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

Read more...

dramatic granola and yogurt breakfast

>> Monday, January 18, 2010


In November we went on a family trip to South Africa with Vito's parents and brother. We were there for two weeks driving around the southern cape, it was glorious! Of course one of the funnest things about being in a foreign country is the food! I love noticing what is eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner when I travel. One of the things we noticed in South Africa is that Granola and Yogurt is the quintessential breakfast food. One of the most amazing breakfasts we had was In Prince Albert, a tiny one street town in the Karoo (dessert). We had a beautiful spread with huge wine glasses containing layers of strawberry yogurt with granola, then big chunk of french toast with raspberry, fig and plum gams arrived in large terracotta plates. The most delicious cafe latte and fresh squeezed orange juice was also presented in beautiful tall glasses. After we liked our fingers the waitress brought a check. This was strange since breakfast was included with our hotel stay. After a slight commotion the waitress said that she misunderstood that we were actually guests at the hotel and that yes indeed the breakfast was included.


The next morning our breakfast included the same food however it was presented differently, less grandly. Cafe latte came in a simple white mug, yogurt and granola were placed on the table in two large bowls for us all to share. French toast was simply stacked in a bread basket. We enjoyed the breakfast again but there was definitely a difference. The prettily presented breakfast is definitely the one that delighted and surprised us and the one we remember when we talk about Prince Albert.
And here is a step by step granola and yogurt beautification process. It's so easy, but everyone will think you're a genious!


Read more...

winter wonderland no more...

>> Sunday, January 17, 2010


This is what my little town looked like just a week ago. Now the sun is shining and all the snow has turned into sloppy mush. Oh well, at least I have a picture to use as Christmas cards next year! :)
Posted by Picasa

Read more...
Related Posts with Thumbnails

About This Blog

A blog about finding something beautiful in everyday. Lots of time we forget to do that.



More about me.

Hi!

Hi!
Follow on Bloglovin

BlogCatalog

Personal Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory

  © Blogger template Simple n' Sweet by Ourblogtemplates.com 2009

Back to TOP